HORSE RACING: Associations ask TOC to lower takeout

DEL MAR ---- Santa Anita and Hollywood Park have asked the
Thoroughbred Owners of California to lower the takeout on daily
doubles, exactas and quinellas on an experimental basis at their
upcoming fall meets, according to a letter obtained by the North
County Times late Saturday night.

The Pacific Racing Association (Santa Anita) and Hollywood Park
Fall Racing Association want daily doubles to be lowered from a
22.68 percent takeout to 15.43 ---- the same as a win, place or
show bets, which are the nation's lowest ---- and they want exactas
and quinellas lowered from 22.68 to 21.68.

The two racing associations are also asking for 50-50 split on
the new 50-cent pick five wager. The TOC now receives a higher
percentage of the profits for purses from the bet than the tracks
do.

The letter comes on the heels of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO
Joe Harper announcing on opening day that he was in talks to try to
lower some of the wagers that were raised this year.

"Raising the takeout was not a smart idea," Harper said Saturday
morning on Roger Stein's radio show. "Raising the takeout may not
have seemed like a big deal, but it is a big deal.

"Our rates are too high on exactas and daily doubles. ... I
would like those things to come down. This is an industry-wide
decision. We need to get together to talk about it."

California came under heavy scrutiny beginning Jan. 1 when a
state law increased the takeout on all two-horse wagers and
three-or-more-horse wagers, with the extra money going to purses
for the state's horsemen. The Horseplayers Association of North
America called for a boycott of betting in California due to the
high tariffs on bets.

During the offseason, Del Mar held focus groups with many
bettors, including HANA president Jeff Platt, West Coast
representative Roger Way, San Diego horseplayer Andy Asaro and
North County horseplayer Barry Meadow.

"These are our customers, and we need to listen to them," Harper
said on the radio show. "They just don't come on opening day."

The result of those meetings saw Del Mar add the 50-cent pick
five ---- like Hollywood Park ---- plus add two other items in the
head-to-head wager on Saturday's feature race with a 10 percent
takeout and a $50,000 seed to Sunday's pick six if there wasn't a
carryover from Saturday.

Last Sunday, there was a $189,000 carryover ---- plus Del Mar's
$50,000 ---- into Wednesday's program when one bettor correctly
picked all six races, resulting in a jackpot of more than $1.1
million, the fourth-highest pick-six return in Del Mar history.

Asaro said the proposals by Santa Anita and Hollywood Park were
"great."

"It's an experiment and could end at any time," Asaro said. "But
if you lower the takeout, you will get a higher handle and you will
have the proper balance between purses and takeout."

It's unknown if Del Mar could ask for a similar reduction in
takeouts in the middle of its current meet, which ends Sept. 7.